Tiam Mana Saffari

22 CHAPTER 1 SPECIFIC AIMS AND OUTLINE OF THIS THESIS In part I, the role of angiogenesis in revascularization and nerve regeneration will be discussed. In Chapter 2 , the role of angiogenesis in nerve regeneration will be discussed and the key regulationmolecules that are suggested to mediate this process will be introduced. Available literature on the mechanisms of angiogenesis and its effect in basic science as well as clinical applications will be summarized. How can we provide vascularity to the sciatic nerve area to investigate its role in nerve regeneration and revascularization? In Chapter 3 , a surgical technique for a pedicled adipofascial flap in the rat will be described to provide vascularity to the sciatic nerve area. This technique will be used in following experiments in this thesis. What are objective strategies to evaluate blood vessels in nerve samples? New methods to objectively measure angiogenesis in nerve samples will be investigated in Chapter 4. Using these techniques, we will investigate in Chapter 5, how augmentation of nerve allografts with angiogenesis affects revascularization patterns in a rat sciatic nerve defect model over time . What effect does angiogenesis have on nerve allografts at a cellular level? In Chapter 6 , the effect of augmentation of nerve allografts with angiogenesis will be studied at a cellular level to investigate its effect on nerve fibrosis. In vivo gene expression profiles will be evaluated and combined with immune cell evaluation in a rat sciatic nerve defect model. In Chapter 7 , the impact of angiogenesis on functional motor recovery will be investigated . Functional, electrophysiological, histological and immunofluorescence analyses will be assessed to understand how augmentation of nerve allografts with angiogenesis affects nerve regeneration.